Stamboul Train. by GREENE, Graham - 1932

London: William Heinemann, Ltd,, 1932. THE SUPPRESSED FIRST ISSUE First edition, first impression, first issue. The character of a rather pompous and self regarding author appears in the central portion of this novel. He is named on pages 77, 78, 82, 98, and 131 as one "Q. C. Savory". J. B. Priestley who had read a review copy became convinced that Savory was based none too flatteringly upon him. Priestley threatened a libel suit and worse still threatened to leave Heinemann for whom he was one of their big names. Charles Evans called Greene and as he recalls in A Sort of Life, "made it clear to me that if Heinemann were going to lose an author, they would much prefer to lose me." So changes were made and two sections were reprinted. The original sheets were as yet unbound and so no pages needed cancelling. Very few copies of the uncorrected text were ever circulated and fewer still survive today. We know of a small handful of examples. Octavo. Original black cloth, titles to spine gilt. Contents occasionally marked, fore edges buffed, spine rolled and slightly faded. An excellent copy.